Folding umbrella.



No. 774,098. PATENTED NOV. 1, 1904.

. E. O. MILLER. FOLDING UMBRELLA.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1904.

NO MODEL.

UNTTEn STATES Patented November 1 1904..

EDWIN G. MILLER, OF IOLA, KANSAS.

FOLDING UMBRELLA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,098, dated November 1, 19 04.

Application filed February 20, 1904. Serial No. 194,597. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN C. MILLER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Iola, in

. the county of Allen and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Folding Umbrella, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to umbrellas of the class wherein the frame is foldable to reduce its length, and has for its object to simplify and improve the construction and produce a device of this character which will be strong and durable, of few parts, and which may be cheaply manufactured and when expanded will present substantially the same appearance externally as an ordinary umbrella.

ith these and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinous changes in the shape, proportions, and

general assemblage of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is therefore reserved of making all the changes and modifications which fairly fall within the scope of the invention and the claims made therefor.

In the drawings thus employed, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improved umbrella expanded. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the umbrella closed. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a portion of the cover, illustrating the construction of the hooded apertures therethrough. Fig. 1 is a transverse section, enlarged, on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

The stick of the present umbrella is formed in telescoped sections 10 and 11, of which the section 10 is tubular and receives the section 11, the latter being provided with any suitable or preferred form of handle 12 and ca- .trated in Fig. 2.

pable of being supported in its extended position by a spring-catch 13 of any approved form.

The ribs of the umbrella are each in two sectionsan upper section 1 1, pivotally connected at its upper end to the usual notch 15 at the upper end of the stick portion 10 and radiating therefrom, and a lower section 16, pivotally connected at 17 to the upper section at a short distance from its lower free end 31. Two opposite pairs only of the two-part ribs are shown for illustration; but it will be understood that the usual number will be employed disposed radially of the stick.

A collar 18 is carried by the tubular stick member 10 for pivotally supporting the inner ends of the stretchers, the latter being formed in two sections with the inner section 19 pivoted to the collar and the outer section 20 pivoted at 21 to the outer rib-sections 16 a short distance'from the pivotal points 17 and about opposite the lower ends 31 of the upper ribsections 14. The inner ends of the stretcher,

sections 20 are pivotally united at 22 to the stretcher-sections 19 near their outer ends, and the terminals of the sections 19 will be provided with means, such as spaced ears or wings 23, for engaging the sections 20 and limit the movement in one direction and also prevent lateral movement.

Slidable upon the stick 10, between the lower runner 18 and the notch 15, is a sleeve or collar 24, forming a runner having peripheral notches to pivotally support the inner ends of braces 25, the outer ends of the latter being pivotally united at 26 to the stretchersections 19. The stick portion 10 is provided with a longitudinal slot 27, through which the runner 2a is connected to the inner end of the handle-section 11, as by a pin 28. By this arrangement it will be obvious that when the stick-section 11 is withdrawn the rib stretchers and braces will be extended, as in Fig. 1, and when said section is forced inwardly or telescoped into the stickportion 10 the runner 2& will be carried with it along the slot 27 and collapse the ribs and stretchers through the action of the connecting-braces25, as illus- It will here be noted that it may be necessary to permit of a slight slidable movement of the collar 18 during the collapsing of the frame of the umbrella to compensate for the folding of the stretchers and the braces.

For clearness of illustration the parts are shown only partially collapsed; but it will be obvious that the parts will fold into close longitudinal relations and cause the umbrella to occupy a total length when folded equal to the combined lengths of the tubular stick portion 10 and the handle 12.

The fabric covering is indicated at 29 and connected centrally to the notch 15 at the outer end of the stick 10 and by its outer edge to the free outer ends 30 of the lower rib-sections 16.

As before noted, the lower portions 31 of the upper rib-sections 1 L extend over the upper portions of the lower rib-sections 16, so that when the frame is extended the overlapping portions of the rib-sections provide for the limiting of the outward movement of the lower rib-sections, which feature, in coaction with the overlapping adjacent ends of the twopart stretcher members, produces a very stiff and rigid frame when expanded by the forcible action of the runner 24c and its braces 25.

The slot 27 will preferably be longer than the total travel of the runner 26L, so that a straining force may be exerted upon the runner and the connected braces and ribs and secure the requisite rigidity when expanded.

When the umbrella is folded, the extremities 31 of the upper rib-sections 1a protrude through the cover member 29, and to provide for these protrusions apertures 32 are formed in the cover member at the proper points and covered with loose flaps 33, which yield when the umbrella is collapsed and form hoods to protect the apertures when the umbrella is raised.

The tubular stick member will preferably be of metal of suitable strength, and the section 11 may be of wood or metal, as preferred. The other parts, except the handle 12 and fabric covering 29, will be of metal of suitable strength to withstand the strains to which it will be subjected. The frame and covering may be of any required size and any suitable material.

By this simple arrangement of parts it will be noted that a very compact, strong, and durable umbrella is produced which may be expanded for use when required and when not in use may be collapsed into a comparatively small compass for storage in an ordinary valise or other receptacle and will be found very convenient for travelers, tourists, and others requiring such an implement.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is p 1. A foldable umbrella comprising slidablyconnected stick members, ribs hinged to the upper stick member, a collar upon the upper stick member, foldable stretchers hinged to said collar and to the respective ribs, a runner mounted upon the upper stick member, braces extending between the runner and the stretchers, and a connection between the runner and the lower stick member to collapse the frame of the umbrella when the stick members are drawn together.

2. A foldable umbrella comprising slidablyconnected stick members, ribs connected to the upper stick member, a collar upon the upper stick member, stretchers hinged to the said collar and to the ribs, a runner mounted upon the upper stick member, braces extending between the runner and the stretchers, a connection between the runner and the other stick member to collapse the frame of the umbrella when the stick members are drawn together, and means carried by one of the stick members to engage the other member and support the two members when extended.

3. A foldable umbrella comprising a tubular longitudinally-slotted upper stick member, a lower stick member telescoping within the tubular member and provided with a pin working in the slot thereof, ribs carried by the tubular stick member. stretchers hinged to the tubular stick member and to the ribs, a runner mounted upon the slotted portion of the tubular stick and connected to the pin, and braces extending between the runner and the stretchers.

4:. An umbrella comprising a stick, ribs hinged thereto and formed in sections, the outer section having its inner end pivotally connected to the inner side of the inner section inwardly from the outer end thereof and capable of folding inwardly when the umbrella is folded, a cover having an opening to receive the outer end of the inner rib-section when the umbrella is folded, and a flexible hood carried by the cover to inclose the outer end of the inner rib member.

5. In a foldable umbrella, the combination of a tubular longitudinally-slotted stick member, a lower stick member telescoped within the tubular member and provided with a spring-catch to engage the inner end of the tubular member and hold the stick members when extended, ribs hinged to the tubular stick member, each rib being formed in sections with the outer section pivoted at its inner end to the inner side of the inner section inwardly from the outer end thereof and capable of folding inwardly, a cover having openings to receive the outer ends of the inner rib members, flexible hoods extending over the openings, stretchers hinged at their inner ends to the tubular stick member and at their outer ends to the outer rib-sections, each stretcher comprising overlapped sections with the outer section having its inner end pivoted to an intermediate portion of the under side of the inner section, the overlapped portions of the stretcher-sections forming means to prevent downward breaking of the pivotal joint therebetween, a runner mounted upon the slotted my own Ihave hereto affixed my signature in portion of the tubular stick member, means the presence of two witnesses. connecting the runner through the slot with the lower stick member, and braces extend- EDWIN MILLER 5 in between the runner and the inner stretoher- Witnesses:

sections. GEO. R. BowLUs,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as J NO. F. GosHoRN. 

